Boot-lacing



(No Model.)

W. G. OBRIEN. BOOT LAGING.

No. 577,265. Patented Feb. 16, 189 7.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM C. OBRIEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOOT-LACING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,265, dated February16, 1897. Application filed May 18,1896. Serial No. 592,026. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. OBRIEN, of Chicago, Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot-Lacings, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a convenient means for lacinghigh-top shoes or boots, and the invention is particularly ap plicableto ladies riding or bicycle boots.

The invention is also applicable to leggings and to gloves and to otherarticles wherein two edges are to be brought into adjusted position andthere held by a lacing-cord.

My invention consists in a closed loop or runner through which thelacingcord is passed, and which is preferably provided with a smallgrooved roller or sheave on which the lacing-cord runs. A series ofthese devices being attached to the margins of the parts to be laced orheld in contact, lacing-cords are run through them, crossing from oneside to the other in the usual manner, the free or loose endsprojecting, which being grasped the edges may be drawn tightly togetherfrom top to bottom by simply pulling upon the lacing-cords at their freeends.

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa perspective view of a ladys bicycle-boot having my lacing devicesapplied thereto. Figs. 2, 3, 4-, and 5 are detail views showing theclosed loop or runner, in which Fig. 2 is a top or plan view showing thesmall roller in dotted lines, Fig. 3 is a side View of the same, Fig. 4is a plan view of a slot-ted plate or disk forming a part of the holder,and Fig. 5 shows a slightly-modified construction.

The holder may be made from a single piece of metal, as shown in Figs. 5and 6, consisting of a strip of sheet-metal a, bent into substantiallyrectangular form to provide a closed loop or holder and having integralprongs b. A small grooved roller 0 is mounted within the loop on the pincl. The holder is attached to the margin of the boot or other article tobe laced by setting the prongs in the leather in the usual manner.

In the construction shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 the strip of metal 6 isbent to provide the rounded open body, the strip being narrowed toprovide the prongs b. A disk or Washerf, having slits g to pass over theprongs, is then slipped up until it comes to rest against the under sideof the rounded body, and the curved roller is then mounted upon a pin orstud secured at one end to the disk and at the other end to the top ofthe body. The form of the holder may be otherwise varied. That shown inFigs. 5 and 6 is preferred because of the economy of construction. Aseries of these devices being applied to a boot, as shown in Fig. 1 thelacing-cords H are threaded through these holders from one margin to theother of the article to be laced, the upper ends of the lacing-cordsbeing left free while the article is being put on. Then by taking holdof the lacing-cords and pulling on both, the margins will be broughttogether and the article laced very quickly and very evenly.

An advantage of the construction resides in the fact that thelacing-cords are always supported in position and do not have to beseparately engaged, as is the case with lacing hooks or studs.

While I have shown double cords, the invention of course is applicableto a single lacing-cord as well, and, as before stated, it may beapplied to other articles than boots.

The details of construction may be considerably varied, as, for example,the grooved roller, while preferred, because it facilitates the rapidlacing and reduces the friction and wear on the cord in lacing, may beomitted and the cords drawn through the closed loops or holders, whosesurfaces with which the cords come in contact will be suitably formed toprevent abrasion thereof and to reduce as far as possible friction.

My invention in its broadest form comprises a lacing device or holderfor a lacing-cord which is closed, so as to retain at all times thecord, and which holder is secured to the surface or upon the outside ofthe article to be laced, so that the lacing-cord does not have to passunder the edge or margin of the article to be laced,which results inbinding and drawing it into contact with the limb in the case of a bootor shoe or with the wrist in the case of gloves. The cords, it will beseen, draw across the joint, but out of contact with the adj usting-surfaces, and therefore the friction is so much reduced as to enablethe edges to be drawn tightly together by pulling upon the cord from oneend only.

\Vithout therefore limiting myself to pre- 5 cise details ofconstruction, I o1aim- Alacing device consisting of a holder formed froma strip of metal, an intermediate portion of which forms a base and oneextremity there of a closed loop, said base portion having integralprongs and a curved roller journaled 10 in the opening of the loop,substantially as described.

WILLIAM C. OBRIEN. lVitnesses:

FREDERICK O. Goonwm, E. L. HUBER.

